% pay increases are a joke

So, I recently got a promotion at work, which I was happy about… until I learned of the title and increase.  First off – I feel like the title doesn’t really imply a promotion.  And I was told “this title will get you into more of a career path”.  More – like into a career path that doesn’t pay.  I went from a more technical title to a very basic title.  And since I’m already getting under paid, moving more out of a technical “career path” isn’t going to help me. 

But, here was the bomb-shell….  With my promotion, I was only getting a 6% raise.  That’s it.  Now, keep in mind my salary is around the $50k mark.  6% is minimal compared to other people in the company who are making 6 digits and are getting a 6% increase for just good behavior (basically).  So, using very easy numbers to see a comparison, here’s 50k compared to 100k:

  $50,000 * .06 = $3,000 increase
$100,000 * .06 = $6,000 increase

No matter what, the $100k salary will always make double the $50k salary if they both consistently make 6% increases. 

Back when the economy first tanked, the company I work for of course had some lay-offs and also put in effect a pay freeze.  Which if you’re making 100k +, who cares, but for those in the company that are making under 50k (and more under 40k and probably closer to 30k), and working multiple jobs to just pay the bills, they depend on at least a little bit of a raise just to accommodate the cost of living – and especially make it worth the gas to drive to work.  But – as soon as they pay freeze was lifted, who’s first in line to their raise – the “6 digiters”, (granted it was minimal for everyone – about 2%).  But those 6 digiters need that increase to pay for the lawn service or their nannies or their house cleaning, or their audi’s/lexus’s. 

How is that fare?! 

How are pay increases (whether promotion or merit-based) fair when done by percentage? 

It makes me so mad when you hear about these huge corporations where the CEO (or some other executives) are getting a million dollar bonus – ON TOP of their already million+ dollar salary!  Can’t they possibly share that with the worker bees that are the ones literally making the company run?  Don’t the rich ever think that maybe they have enough money?  Or is that million dollar bonus really necessary? 

Hubby and I have always hypothesized about what we would do if we ever 100k or better yet millions through the lottery (even though we don’t play), and of course (depending on how much money was involved) we would do things for us first like pay off our house or build our dream home.  But, if we were talking in the millions, we’ve always talked about donating and volunteering.  Perhaps once you actually have that much money, you get greedy or spend-happy…but, I just don’t understand how it’s ok to have multi-millionaires and even billionaires living in the same country (and even state) as people who are working multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

Ok – I should probably get off my soap box and get back to work…since they are paying 6% more…and even though I know the person in the cubicle just next to mine is making twice as much as me….

…one more thing…  with all of that said, I am still extremely grateful for having a job.  I have more than 1 friend who has been laid off from work and struggling to find a job.  My parents also were struggling at one point to find work that would pay the bills.  Perhaps I should remind myself to be grateful for the things that I have and not worry about those people who have more.